City edge out King's Lynn in first pre-season game

Norwich City battled from behind to overcome King's Lynn Town 2-1 at The Walks in their first match of pre-season.

After a close first-half, Lynn took the lead through Toby Hilliard just five minutes after the restart.

However, City made plenty of changes in the second-half and it was substitutes Devonte Aransibia and Adam Idah who netted to help the Canaries to victory in an entertaining contest.

Daniel Farke handed starts to new boys Felix Passlack and Teemu Pukki as well as giving Moritz Leitner a first game as a permanent member of the City squad.

The Canaries lined-up in a 3-4-3 formation with Passlack and Marco Stiepermann providing the width with a midfield two of Tom Trybull and Moritz Leitner behind an attacking three of Onel Hernandez, Dennis Srbeny and Teemu Pukki.

City had plenty of possession in the first-half but came up against a stern Lynn defence pressing the ball at every opportunity and allowing little room in-behind. Sweeping build-up play allowed them to create attacks but the final ball was lacking in the opening 30 minutes.

As the half wore on though they began to have more joy. The front three of Hernandez, Pukki and Srbeny started to plug gaps in the Lynn defence and City should have really gone ahead before the interval.

Pukki set Hernandez clear on 38 minutes but he was thwarted by the Lynn stopper low to his left before Pukki again created a shooting opportunity, this time for Srbeny whose low shot fizzed inches wide of the post moments later.

Under-23s boss Matt Gill took control of the side for the second-half, introducing Yanic Wildschut and Max Aarons straight after the break for Passlack and Pukki.

However, with their first shot on goal Lynn took the lead five minutes after the interval. A cross from Ryan Hawkins went all the way through to Toby Hilliard who tapped home at the back post.

City almost responded on the hour mark when Srbeny curled the ball against the crossbar before Matt Gill made nine changes on 66 minutes, bringing on the likes of Aston Oxborough, Adam Phillips and Adam Idah.

The changes gave City fresh impetus and they turned the scoreline around in the space of two second-half minutes. First Phillips sent Aransibia clear to slot home and equalise and then Wildschut showed great awareness in the box to pick out Idah who smashed the ball into the net.

Aransibia went closest in the final exchanges to adding to City's lead when he shot just wide with a powerful effort from the edge of the box but the Canaries held out for the victory in their first pre-season match.

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